Friday, May 06, 2011

EXPECT more cases to be filed against top civilian, military and police officials allegedly involved in human rights violations in the past decade, a militant lawyers group said Thursday.

Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) told Sun.Star it will continue to pursue all avenues to prosecute human rights violators, especially those who have committed murder, rape and other crimes.

In the drawing board are criminal cases concerning the disappearance of agriculturist Jonas Burgos in 2007 and the illegal arrest and detention of the so-called "Morong 43" health workers last year, Cortez said.

Respondents would likely include former President now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former executive secretary Eduardo Ermita and other military officials.

"We will file it in the next few weeks," Cortez said.

Burgos, who taught organic farming among peasants in Bulacan, was allegedly abducted by suspected military men on April 28, 2007 in a mall along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

The "Morong 43", meanwhile, were suspected communist rebels after they were allegedly caught making explosives at a farm house in Morong, Rizal in February 2010. They were released in December that year.

Mothers of missing University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday against retired General Jovito Palparan Jr. for rape, serious physical injuries, arbitrary detention, among other offenses.

Erlinda Cadapan and Concepcion Empeño, alleging conspiracy within the military unit, filed the cases at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Attached to the complaint were eight detailed affidavits that established Sherlyn and Karen were in military custody. Both were missing since June 2006.

NUPL also cited violations of international treaties, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)